FIG. 1 illustrates a ferroelectric thin film transistor 15 having a ferroelectric insulator layer 16 that can be organic or inorganic. Ferroelectric thin film transistor 15 further has a gate electrode G, a source electrode S, and a drain electrode D with the ferroelectric insulator layer 16 being between gate electrode G and a combination of source electrode S and drain electrode D.
In operation, ferroelectric thin film transistor 15 can be switched between a conductive state commonly known as a normally-on state and a non-conductive state commonly known as a normally-off state based on a differential voltage VGS between a gate voltage VG and a source voltage VS and a differential voltage VDS between drain voltage VD and the source voltage VS both having an amplitude that generates an electric field over ferroelectric insulator layer 16 that is higher than a coercive electric field associated with ferroelectric insulator layer 16. Specifically, differential voltages VGS and VDS both having an amplitude that is equal to or less than a negative switching threshold −ST generates an electric field over ferroelectric insulator layer 16 that switches ferroelectric thin film transistor 15 to a normally-on state. Conversely, differential voltages VGS and VDS both having an amplitude that is equal to or greater than a positive switching threshold +ST generates an electric field over ferroelectric insulator layer 16 that switches ferroelectric thin film transistor 15 to a normally-off state.